Coker contemplates moves to shore up offensive line

With a little more than two weeks remaining before the season opener at South Alabama, UTSA coach Larry Coker said Tuesday that he would consider moving personnel from defense to offense to shore up the offensive line.

Coker made the comment after it was announced that junior college transfer Armando Alvarez, a 6-3, 300-pounder from Blinn, would not be joining the team this season after all.

“I am disappointed because he was a player we thought could come in and help immediately,” Coker said following Tuesday afternoon’s workout at Farris Stadium.

When the team completed spring training, Drew Phillips and Alvarez were 1-2 on the depth chart at left tackle. Alvarez was listed No. 2 even though he had not even set foot on campus.

Now both players are out of the picture.

On the opening day of fall camp on Aug. 3, UTSA announced that Phillips had left the team due to personal reasons and that Alvarez had not reported because he was finishing up course work at Blinn.

In the absence of those two players, senior Patrick Hoog has moved from backup guard to starting left tackle.

Hoog, a transfer from Oklahoma State, is considered a capable player, perhaps the strongest on the team.

But the backups at the five offensive line positions have since been filled with four freshmen through the first 13 practices of camp. It’s a development that apparently has Coker concerned.

“We’re pressing on with what we’ve got,” the coach said. “But we definitely will look at the rest of the team to see if there’s someone that can help us (on the offensive line). What we’re trying to do is get our better players on the field.”

Officials released a revised roster and said some players had left the team.

Among the players missing from the revised roster were wide receiver Quincy Kibbett of Kerrville, linebacker John Walker III from Humble and defensive tackle Leighton Gilbert from Houston Memorial.

None of the three had reached the 2-deep.

In addition, a spokesman said that defensive back Malcolm Scott, a class of 2011 signee from Tomball, left the team a few months ago.